"If a poet is anybody, he is somebody to whom things made matter very little - somebody who is obsessed by Making."(4)
Edward Estlin Cummings was born on October 14, 1894 in CambridgeMassachusetts. He had one sister who was six years younger than him. His mother showed him the happiness of writing and he began writing poetry and drawing a young age. While in high school, Cummings wrote poems and stories for the school newspaper. In 1915 he graduated from Harvard and earned an advanced degree in 1916. Cummings then worked as an ambulance driver in France before the U.S. entered World War I. He was held in prison for three months for suspicion of having views significant for the French effort in the war. This experience gave him something to talk about in his first book, The Enormous Room, published in 1922. After the war he went to Paris to study art, but came back to New York in 1924. Early in his career Cummings was not well liked because he focused on romantic transcendentalism, which was not popular at this time. He had to pay for the publication of many of his books because he could not get a publisher who would pay for him. Tulips and Chimneys was his first poetry book and was published in 1923, closely followed by another two years later. Even after receiving the Dial Award in 1925 he still could not a find a publisher. In 1926 his father died in a car accident. Cummings only published two poetry collections from 1925 to 1930, 5 in 1926 and W in 1931, and he paid for the publishing of both. He also had his first play published in 1927 and diary of a trip to Russia in 1933. In 1935 he wrote a book thanking his mother. Many said he did not have any new ideas during this time. During the 1930s he felt alone in his culture and profession. Cummings best works were love and religious poems. He was also a painter and had his work displayed at shows in the 1940s and 1950s. His religious upbringing caused him to write many spiritual poems and prayers. He received many awards and praise for his poems. In North Conway, New Hampshire on September 3, 1962, E.E. Cummings died and was buried at Forest HillsCemetery in Boston, Massachusetts. When he died he was only behind Robert Frost as the most widely read poet. (2,3)
E.E. Cummings Biography
"If a poet is anybody, he is somebody to whom things made matter very little - somebody who is obsessed by Making."(4)
Edward Estlin Cummings was born on October 14, 1894 in Cambridge Massachusetts. He had one sister who was six years younger than him. His mother showed him the happiness of writing and he began writing poetry and drawing a young age. While in high school, Cummings wrote poems and stories for the school newspaper. In 1915 he graduated from Harvard and earned an advanced degree in 1916. Cummings then worked as an ambulance driver in France before the U.S. entered World War I. He was held in prison for three months for suspicion of having views significant for the French effort in the war. This experience gave him something to talk about in his first book, The Enormous Room, published in 1922. After the war he went to Paris to study art, but came back to New York in 1924. Early in his career Cummings was not well liked because he focused on romantic transcendentalism, which was not popular at this time. He had to pay for the publication of many of his books because he could not get a publisher who would pay for him. Tulips and Chimneys was his first poetry book and was published in 1923, closely followed by another two years later. Even after receiving the Dial Award in 1925 he still could not a find a publisher. In 1926 his father died in a car accident. Cummings only published two poetry collections from 1925 to 1930, 5 in 1926 and W in 1931, and he paid for the publishing of both. He also had his first play published in 1927 and diary of a trip to Russia in 1933. In 1935 he wrote a book thanking his mother. Many said he did not have any new ideas during this time. During the 1930s he felt alone in his culture and profession. Cummings best works were love and religious poems. He was also a painter and had his work displayed at shows in the 1940s and 1950s. His religious upbringing caused him to write many spiritual poems and prayers. He received many awards and praise for his poems. In North Conway, New Hampshire on September 3, 1962, E.E. Cummings died and was buried at Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston, Massachusetts. When he died he was only behind Robert Frost as the most widely read poet. (2,3)In Just
Works Consulted
"E.E. Cummings." 7 March 2008. http://bluehydrangeas.files.wordpress.com/2006/10/e-e-cummings.jpg
"E.E. Cummings Biography." 2008. 6 March 2008.<http://www.notablebiographies.com/Co-Da/Cummings-E-E.html>
"E.E. Cummings - Poems." 2008. 6 March 2008. <http://www.poemofquotes.com/eecummings/>
"E.E. Cummings Quotes." 2008. 7 March 2008. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/e_e_cummings.html>
"Just In." 2007. 8 March 2008. <http://youtube.com/watch?v=w3BFThBozCw&feature=related>
"Tulips & Chimneys." 7 March 2008. <http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0871401657.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg>
Links:
1920s Poetry Home PageFamous Poets
E.E. Cummings Poems